Telling what it's like to work on recovering from the effects of alcoholism through Al-Anon

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Pain

We spent yesterday morning at the cancer center in town where my wife got her biopsy for a suspicious "something" in her breast. When she came out, she was pale and nauseous from the pain. She had no idea that the procedure would be so painful.

She was given one shot of Lidocaine and then a 200 lb. nurse pressed on her breast as hard as he could. This was followed by four cores being taken and finally a clip put into the suspicious area found by ultrasound. One of the cores and the clip placement caused her to almost levitate off the table from pain. Modern medicine has come a long way, but it would seem that pain management still needs some work, especially because some areas of the body are more sensitive to pain, such as those with more nerves. And the breast is certainly one of those sensitive areas.

Anyway, she got through all of that but was in a lot of pain on the way home. She wasn't given anything for the pain but told to take Tylenol which she bought at the pharmacy and promptly took. The pain continued on the way home. At home, she was miserable. Finally, after putting an ice pack on the area, she was able to sleep. She will not have results until later today or tomorrow.

Today, she is busy working in the backyard, putting in perennials around the various beds. It is a beautiful day. Spring is glorious here in this part of the world. So many green sprigs, so many azaleas and flowering shrubs, and days that are warm with cool nights.

Please keep my wife in your thoughts. I honestly don't know what I would do without her. And also think of my first sponsor who is having a hard time with the chemo treatment for his lung cancer. He is now being helped through Hospice and has decided to not continue the treatments because of how sick he feels. I haven't fully grasped the outcome of this. Right now, all of us are taking this one day at a time.

27 comments:

Thinking of you. Darlene had the same procedure done not long ago and everything turned out fine for her so I know how stressful everything can be for her and you. You are in my thoughts, friend. Ron and Darlene

I have to say that your wife's experience sounds dreadful and entirely preventable as to the pain. That is horrible! And inexcusable. Yes. I am keeping her in my thoughts as I go about my own yard work today. May all be well.

Wishing the best for you and your wife. They say with the digital mammograms now a lot more things show up suspicious but usually are not serious. And if it happens to be serious you will handle it with your inner strength and calmness...one day at a time. Also hoping your sponsor finds peace in his coming days...

I sit here almost shocked at her experience with the pain. Hopefully, that has lessened somewhat...prayer...now for stress...prayer...now for your sponsor...prayer, he is dying.

For you and him I copy this from my Face Book page today:

TO A CLOSE FRIEND WHO IS ABOUT TO DIE, there really is only one thing I can say to give the deepest comfort: "IN your death, a part of me dies and goes with you. Wherever you go, I go also."

You will not be alone...

--Jiddu Krishnamurti (Edited by Steve)

Absolutely LOVE that photo of your patio and garden areas--and beyond, and spotted your wife working with her flowers. VERY smart thing, to stay busy (with nature) if possible. Best to you both, Syd.PEACE and LIGHT!

dude....she has my prayers...and if you are cool with it i will share with the other elders at church...i cant imagine what she went thru yesterday...i hope today was better for her...enjoy that spring man....

Syd, I'm so sorry she had to endure that kind of pain. I've learned that you really have to advocate for yourself in hospital settings. Surely, there was something that could be done to lessen the pain and stress. I'm adding you both to my prayers.

Thanks, Hattie. I think that she now knows that this procedure is painful. Sadly, no one told her that and neither of the docs stopped to give her another local when she was in such agony. Seems brutal to me. This is not the Middle Ages.

You and your wife are in our prayers. I'm really angry that the procedure was so painful and frankly this is inexcusable in this day and age. I'm sorry but when you wait like this it is agony. I've had the call back on a mammogram and it was horrible.

Here's the thing though - mammograms SAVE LIVES. So if she has had regular mammograms then anything has been caught at stage where you can treat and beat. Also, they are very aggressive with screening for women now because they know that catching things makes all the difference in the world. I had my radiologist tell me that they can see so much more now than they could even a few years ago and they just don't mess around. I imagine your wife is in her 50's? I'm in my mid to late 40's. We are the highest risk group so they check everything.

Hang in there. I am thinking of you and C this evening. Let us know when you can and are willing asap.